Detroit Council extends ban on recreational marijuana sales to spring

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to extend its temporary ban on recreational marijuana sales until spring as it works on a law to govern how they operate and ensure residents can participate.

City Councilman James Tate, who is leading the effort, introduced the ordinance last week to push back the city’s opt-out period, stressing the potential billion-dollar industry should have a “pathway for Detroiters to be gainfully employed.”

A draft ordinance prepared in the fall, he noted during a Tuesday public hearing, didn’t go far enough to help residents of the post-bankrupt city.

“The rush is really trying to get it right, not to get it done. I’m not going to push an ordinance that is not ready,” Tate said. “Detroit has had a situation where financially, the economic downturn was drastic … this is an opportunity for us to make our residents whole.”

The council voted on the extension after multiple advocates, residents and prospective marijuana business owners expressed frustration with the delay that they contend is holding people back from opportunity. Others applauded the council for its effort to set a standard for inclusion. [Read more at The Detroit News]